Determination (Charisk) [OUTDATED]

93 - KING IN THE MOUNTAIN

(CHARA POV)[F]

     Frisk was taken away to somewhere I couldn't go. The boat ride all the way to the castle was silent. I wasn't the one in chains, but still, I felt like I was weighted to the bottom of the river, drowning. We spent all night on that boat.

     I was shaken awake and promptly... escorted to the castle throne room. Dad—

     King Asgore was watering the small field of golden flowers in front of his large throne. He was a lot smaller than I remember, though from the viewpoint of a child... Don't get me wrong, he was still bigger than any monster I've met, but this paradigm shift made him seem more like a person than a force of nature. And god, did I hate the fact that I had to talk to a person about this.

     He was a large goat-like boss monster. His purple cloak rested over his clothes, held in place by gold pauldrons. His horns alone were about the size my forearm. He had a blond, thick, full beard to match his long silky hair. The penannular pin was shaped like the angel from the Delta Rune.

     "Dum dee dum..." He sung gently to himself as he watered his flowers. As we approached, he paused. "Oh? Is someone there? Just a moment! I have almost finished watering these flowers." King Asgore took great care in making sure all of these golden flowers had light and water. "Here we are!" His voice was very deep and had a southern twang, same as Asriel did when we were kids. "Howdy! How can I—"

     "King Asgore." I did not kneel as the others did.

     "... Oh... *ahem* Grand Magi Knight Knight, Madjick, you are... dismissed." They vanished without a word. "I so badly want to say, 'Would you care for a cup of tea?' But... you know how it is."

     "Where did you take my girlfriend?"

     "What do you mean?"

     "Frisk Archer. My girlfriend."

     "Ah. The Archer girl." He said it with such... distaste. What did her ancestors do to piss him off so much? "I... It is a surprise that you were... together."

     "We were sleeping in the same bed before she was... taken. So that begs the question: Where is she?"

     "Someplace safe."

     "Bullshit! She's not safe as long as she's in your care! What about all the other humans? The children that escaped the Ruins? Were they safe too?!" Tears burned my eyes. Luckily, no one but us occupied the throne room.

     "... No, perhaps they were not." He turned away from me. "Come, Chara. Let discuss this further at home."

. . .

     Not a word was spoken all the way to the house. It was just like I remember it. Each brick made from the glittery-silver magical stone that surrounded all of New Home. The house itself was identical to Mom's back in the Ruins, despite the color change. Golden flowers grew in patches carefully groomed around the property.

     He took me inside to the dinner table I knew so well. We were back here again, two family members short.

     "Why?"

     "Why, what?"

     "Why did you do it? Why did you have to take her away from me?" I felt a knot in my throat. It felt like there was a brick on my chest.

     "'T-Take her away? She is a Human, the last SOUL we need to—"

     "She was my human. We were so happy together- I love her, dad." He looked down at the table.